Congress Park

This review is more for the Congress Park pool. We are newer to the neighborhood and this is our first summer using this pool. We’ve been taking the kids a couple days a week all summer long for a few and hours and had my daughter’s bday party there. It’s a spacious pool and very clean. The main pool is on the shallow side for a good section o fit, so you don’t have to be as crazy about making sure the younger ones stay in a small section as to not get too deep. There is also a kiddie pool for the little ones. There’s no water slides or newly renovated features. but the addition of the basketball hoop was welcome for most of the kids. The kids are pretty well behaved and under control. There is a shaded area with picnic tables to sit down an eat or for parties. I’ve been to a lot of pools and what I like best about this one is the vibe. Very calm and relaxed. You do run into the occasional helicopter Mom who complains about everything. «OMG, kids are throwing a Nerf ball! OMG, kids are playing Marco Polo, they could put someones eye out!..» I’m talking about you weird lady who takes her toddler into the big pool and insists on continuously crossing it wading the through the elementary school aged kids trying to play. Really a nice place to bring the family.

I thought I would write after reading one review here that indicates it is a great park to let your dog run around. The primary goal of this review is to help you keep your money and not be subject to an $ 80 dog off leash ticket; and, just enjoy the park. The dogs I do see infrequently off leash are running near their owners or chasing a moving object like a frisbee, not running toward small children or into picnics to steal hot dogs off the grill; but oh well. We moved to the area less than a year ago and every time we go here the neighborhood folks would warn us of the dog patrol (white van with a utility yellow light bar). According to one account, rumor, or urban legend… someone, who knows someone, got a ticket while walking in a snowstorm letting her dog walk alongside without a leash and patrol who was hiding in a tree leaped down to give her a ticket. Our experience was uneventful, they just drove right up and parked behind what they thought was our car to block us from making a quick getaway (or so I assume), and walked right up. We were so cooperative but the code enforcement folks were rude and the interrogation was annoying.
As for the park itself, between this park and Cheesman Park about a half mile away there are beautiful old trees, the grass is nice, running trails are great and there is always something going on.

I have been coming to this pool for over 20 years and this is the first year that I can say the customer service is horrible. You can sense the teenage attitude all over the place. It’s a shame bc this is a beautiful pool. If you can tolerate the high school attitude for customer service it is worth it.

Great place for me to my dog and allow him to run around. The tennis courts are in great condition if you are looking to hit some balls. There is plenty of room to accommodate a party of any size.

The park that my neighborhood’s named after. You’ll find my family there for Volleyball practices & camps, and at the pool during the Summer.